


just a summer fling (and other mistakes)

by SwimmingTiger



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M, star stable fan stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-18 20:43:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11882457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwimmingTiger/pseuds/SwimmingTiger
Summary: In which Tim reminds Miranda of every Leo she ever knew... (But do we ever learn? No.)Miranda, far from her boyfriend and bored (and lonely as heck), might be reading too much into flirty Tim's actions. Is he interested? Is he just playing around while away for the summer? Does it matter?(Mature rating for some canoodling but nothing too graphic)





	1. Future Foe Scenerios (Wednesday)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miranda finds that after the festivities of Midsommer, she is bored and cranky and missing her boyfriend terribly. Some long lingering glances from Tim the smoothie guy has her thinking its time for a summer romance.

The first thing I noticed when going over the bridge to Fort Pinta was the floating lanterns.. in the bright August sunshine it looked like people were releasing helium balloons and I wondered what idiot thought  _that_ was a good idea… but after riding down to the beach area I saw that they were, in fact, relatively-safe-for-the-environment paper lanterns. 

And  _him_. 

He was tall and he was pale, with big blue eyes, and a baggy sweater. Even in the summer heat. Not that I could talk.. I lived in cardigans and hoodies. He didn’t strike me as  _cute_. Not like John or Josh, or that cutie pie at the clothing store at the mall anyway. In spite of this there was a crowd of girls around him so..  I kept my distance.  _What the hell was he selling_?  _Dude is knee deep in pussy_ , I thought, and instantly felt a twinge of dislike for the guy. I don’t know why. There was also something familiar about him.. but I couldn’t place his face. Then I noticed him watching me. Even with the gaggle of girls around, all blushing and flirting, he seemed like he couldn’t keep his eyes off of.. _me_. He smiled and looked away shyly. I guess I had been staring too. 

Silvershade, the dappled gelding who was assigned to me when I arrived at Moorland, was getting restless so I steered him around to the coffee shop and ordered an iced latte. The girl at the cafe was normally pretty apathetic about her job (and life in general) but today she was extra bitchy- she mumbled something about “ _surprised you’re not over there getting a_  smoooothie” as she handed me my drink. 

“ _But the customer service_ here _is top notch_ ” I mumbled back, stabbing at the top with a straw. 

Leaving Silver near the grass area, I grabbed a chair under the shaded trellis and watched the girls around the smoothie booth apply lip gloss and adjust their tops. Most of them looked too young for the guy, who was … _wait- where did he go_?

“Hey.” Came a soft voice from somewhere behind me. It took a tremendous amount of effort to turn as nonchalantly as possible. Of fucking course it was him. 

“Yeah?” I asked, turning back to stare at the ocean. I thought I saw a shark or something..

“Is this magnificent _tree_ of a creature yours?” He asked, patting Silvershades rump. 

 _Oh real original dude_. 

“Why” I asked, not turning this time. 

“Well I had a barrel of fruit in the bushes here and it looks like he helped himself…” 

“Aw shit seriously?” Blushing hard, I spun around to check the damage, and felt like a world class douche for being over here judging the boy while my horse was angling to bankrupt his smoothie business. “How much do I owe you?” I tried. 

“well, he only got a coupla apples and some broccoli, its shibby, girl.” 

 _What the fuck did he just say_?

“Still, he slobbered all over the rest- I.. Can I make this up to you somehow?” 

The whole time we were talking his eyes were boring into my face, so I looked down at my scuffed boots and dirty jeans.  _I should buy some beach stuff,_  I thought. 

He stuck out a hand. “I’m Tim by the way.” His palm was sweaty and I tried not to wipe my hand after. “Uh.. if you want to go pick up my back up supplies? They’re up at the Fort.” 

“Yeah. Yeah I suppose I can head up there..” I said, tossing my cup in the trash and pulling myself up onto Silvershade.

Tim climbed up onto my chair.

"What the hell...?” I yelped as he carefully mounted Silver, behind me.

“Well I'm not gonna make you do this alone.” He explained. He seemed at a loss for where to put his hands for a second, resting them on my hips, then my sides (which tickled, causing me to twitch), then my shoulders- which was awkward for me, then on my thighs- which must have been awkward for him cause he pulled his hands back immediately. 

“Just.. put em around my waist.” I said, angry that I was blushing again. I knew full well he'd feel the muffin top I was hiding under my sweater but it was that or risk him falling off.

Tim wrapped his arms around my midsection and rested his chin on my shoulder. He brushed a tendril of hair back and whispered in my ear “I didn't get your name..?”

In spite of myself, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

“Miranda”, I said, leaning back into him a little more. It was only an introduction but it _felt_ flirtatious and I got to thinking... Maybe a little summer flingy with someone I couldn't care less about was... in order. After all, Jamie was a whole ocean away and Conrad was adamant that he was too old for me. And this Tim fella did have really nice eyes...

“You're really chill, Miranda. Think we can hang out while I'm here?” He shifted and I thought I felt his thumb brush across my nipple. Could've been my imagination of course.

“Sure...” I murmured, undoing the button on my sweater in case he tried again.

"Swag as..." He whispered, his chin resting on my shoulder. 

Before we could make plans though, we had arrived at the crates of fruit and paper cups stacked neatly near the trailer in the Fort and he slid off the back of my horse.

“Ah.. it has occurred to me that you can't carry me AND all this so I'll head back. See you around!” He patted my thigh and sauntered off towards the staircase.

It had occurred to _me_ that possibly copping a feel wasn't _exactly_ the summer flingy I had convinced myself I was ready for- but there was always tomorrow. I sighed, loading the crates onto Silvers dappled butt.

When I dropped off his supplies, I noticed girls were giggling over the epic terribleness of his smoothie recipe and offering to help make them better.  _Oh I see,_ I thought to myself. _You bat your eyes and girls come running... well not_ this _girl_. Unfortunately I was unsuccessful in my attempts to dump and run.. Tim ran over to help me with the heavy boxes and noticed my side eyeing his helpers. He rolled his baby blues.

"They think this will count as volunteer work on their college apps." He chuckled. "Frankly it gets a little tedious. Anyway, thanks a bunch." He held out his hand and leaned forward to whisper in my ear "Come by tomorrow yeah...? Please?"

Well, I never could resist a boy with good manners. 

 

 


	2. Little Lovers so Polite (Thursday)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Miranda get a little closer. But only a little.

It was a little before noon when I headed to Fort Pinta Beach the next day. Even though it wasn't quite warm yet, there was a small crowd growing near the Smoothie booth. Didn't see Tim though, nor did I want to go looking – lest I appear too anxious. I had stopped by the new clothing stand and pawed through some shorts and tops. The woman running the booth snapped “we're not officially open yet” so I let go of the tank top and grabbed Silvers reins, leading him round the beach umbrellas toward the cafe. 

Still didn't see Tim.

At the cafe, the gal was a little nicer. Maybe she considered me a loyal customer, since I was literally the only person on the beach still ordering her shitty, watered down coffee drinks. As I headed towards the seating area, Tim came around the corner with an armful of pink terry cloth. He rammed right into me, and my iced coffee went splashing down my white tee shirt.

“oh no!” He said, trying to wipe the coffee off my shirt with his hand, in spite of the fact that he was literally holding dozens of towels. “Just the person I wanted to see and I do this! Ugh!“

 _You wanted to see me_? I thought, and immediately wanted to punch myself.

“Dude.. really its fine..” I stepped back a bit, and bent to help pick up some of his dropped laundry.

He set it down on the table and looked glumly at the stain on my shirt...

“I'm really sorry. Such a clutz sometimes. Do you hate me?”

“oh my gawd, don't even worry about it. I'll go take a dip in a sec.” He had started to fold the towels and since I was standing there like a latte soaked dolt I started helping, and we finished quickly.

“Thanks to you I'm finished with this.. and I have a few minutes before I was gonna open. Want to see my favorite spot on the beach?” He smiled. He still seemed a little shy, and I still felt a weird twinge of .. distrust? I couldn't place it. But whatever it was was mingled with an intense attraction. Which I also couldn't place. He wasn't even flirting really, just shy and awkward- but maybe that what was so interesting to me. I had never been the type to fall for guys who were too smooth, who dropped pick up lines and were confident that they could get you. Jamie had been shy too, so... maybe it was just my thing? I looked up and found Tim staring quizzically, but also like he genuinely enjoyed looking at my face. He smiled and raised an eyebrow.  

“Yeah, I.. sure.” He grabbed a couple of towels and lead me over behind the huge stacks of rocks near the peninsula. I actually adored the little strip of beach, as there were generally very few tourists there, but had yet to see the view from up on the massive gray pillars. He walked over to one of the smaller rocks and, kicking off his shoes, climbed up. He offered me a hand.

A whiff of caramel and coffee arose from my chest and I held up a finger. Kicking off my tennis shoes, I knelt down in the sand near the deeper end of the little area and splashed water onto the stain, quickly wiping my shirt down. It was that or look like an idiot after. Besides, it was starting to warm up.

Half soaked, I climbed after him and then onto a higher, flatter boulder. We were easily over the heads of most of the folks there, even the ones on horse back. And the warm granite felt good as I lay back to let the sun dry my shirt. He had laid towels down, and handed me one to dry off.

Tim talked about school, and how he'd spent most of his summers at the beach here, since he was a child. He mentioned his desire to either be a pro skater or surfer, and then asked a few questions about me and where I was from. He seemed impressed that I came all the way from "Hollywood" even though I explained to him that there was more to Los Angeles than the smallish town, and mentioned places there that he'd always wanted to visit.. mostly rock clubs. Hollywood blvd of course. He said he wanted to surf in Malibu and skate along the canals in Venice Beach.  _At least he didn't mention Disneyland,_ I thought. As small talk is the one thing I generally find myself incapable of, I casually dropped names of celebrities I'd seen around, and bands I'd seen at the Rainbow and the Troubador and he chuckled in disbelief and smiled. Closing my eyes, I stretched and put my hands behind my back and told him maybe he could come visit someday.

When I opened my eyes I noticed he was staring at my chest, and realized my bra was still pretty visible under the damp tee shirt, but he looked back out at sea when I caught him.

_Come on, man. My shirt is see through! No one can see us! Make a move already!_

“Do you have a girl Tim?”

He continued to stare out, like he was looking for someone on South Hoof, then shook his head slowly.

“No. Well...” He sighed. “She actually just broke up with me. Right before my birthday. Two weeks ago.”

I made a mental note that he was a fricken _Leo_. Of course. “Ah man I'm sorry...” I didn't know what else to say. I sat up and patted his shoulder. 

“I'm real bad at .. keeping a relationship. People always seem to rush into things and I don't always know how to slow it down. Then.. I don't know. They just go all honey badger on me. It usually ends bad.”

Suddenly he patted my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

 _Finally_.

“Well I gotta open the booth. We should do this again though. Maybe we can hang out after I get off tomorrow?”

We climbed down off the boulders, with him offering me a hand once again, and once on the ground he opened his arms tentatively for a hug. Since I was still kinda damp, I hesitated, and he gave me the puppy eyes and opened his arms wider. When I put my arms around him he squeezed warmly and breathed into my neck. “You're a really shibby chick, Miranda.” Somehow his hand found his way under my shirt, and he was gently stroking the small of my back. I froze. _Well that's new._ He rested his head on the top of mine and sighed. “This is my favorite part of the body, so soft”.

In spite of myself I was … melting. I was butter on hot toast. _I was so ready for this_. Then he let go.

“Alright, see you around!”

Shivering in my almost-dry clothes... I wondered what the hell this guys deal was.

I wondered what  _my_ deal was.


	3. A Common Reactor (Friday)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A date? Finally?

Friday. For some reason I didn't think I'd hear from him that evening, so I headed over to Steve's to race around Silverglade and see if anyone needed any errands run. Silvershade and I needed to burn off some steam and maybe make some money, as the last of my shillings had disappeared that morning. But- I had a new skirt and tank top that I was gonna break open in case of emergency.

(The emergency being Tim coming to his senses about how painfully lonely and utterly available I was).

I sheared some sheep for Donald, fed Steve's birds, picked up some cheese from Will, ran the Mill race and was just about to head to Valedale when my pants buzzed.

“ _I know its corny- but I can't stop thinking about you”_

then

“ _I just really think I should heal from my last break up before getting involved with anyone_ ”

I started to write “ _It ain't that serious, we can just be friends_...” when

“ _Its just that you are so fucking beautiful. I really like you and wasn't expecting that_.”

Delete delete delete. “ _I like you too_ ” Delete delete delete. “ _So what now_?” I wrote with shaky hands.

(Look- I'm not particularly susceptible to flattery, it was probably the racing causing the shaking and heart fluttering and face flushing. It had to be.)

“Can you meet me by the trailer at Pinta in an hour?”

Could I?

If you had timed me running back to my room at Moorland, jumping in the shower, shaving my legs and changing into my new summer outfit- well. Let's just say if there was a Thirst Olympics I'd have broken every record and taken home the gold.

 _Love em and leave em Miranda_. _This is just a flingy_. I reminded myself as I slipped the trailer driver a twenty to drive me over there so I wouldn't get sweaty riding.

Twilight was falling, and the familiar boom of the disco filled the air as I led Silvershade to the corral near the barn. He ambled over to his friend the Shire and they nickered a greeting. Tim was no where in sight, so I leaned against the trailer and was about to text him when...

“P _sst_...”

I looked around. Two girls were brushing their ponies in the stable, but while they were casting furtive glances over towards the trailer, it wasn't coming from them.

“ _Psst_...” it came again, from the other side of the van.

I walked over to find Tim behind it, peeking over the fence at the disco.

“What the heck...?” I asked. “What are you...” But he held a finger to his lips to silence me. 

“Ok there's a fight over in the disco, they should be busy for a while. Here.” He handed me an inn key. “You go in, and wait for me at the top of the stairs.” He peeked around the van but the stables were vacant. “Ok go now..!”

Giving him a look, I pretended to hide behind fence poles and planters, Mission Impossible-style, as I made my way to the back door of the inn. He chuckled and winked and looked over the fence one more time as I slipped in and went up the stairs.

A minute later he sauntered up, grabbing me in a tight hug which lifted me slightly off the ground. _Do the thing do the thing do the thing_ I demanded, mentally, and as if he'd heard, Tim slid his hand under the waistband of my skirt to stroke the small of my back. Then he grabbed my hand and put a finger to his lips as we crept to his room.

Ok so- the décor threw me for a loop. Military memorabilia, stacks of dvds like Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, Apocalypse Now. And a camouflage sofa...? my jaw dropped.

“Um. Interesting.” Was all I managed. “Why all the secrecy?”

He led me, still tip-toeing, to a smaller room to the side, and motioned for me to kick off my shoes.

“It's not my place.” he said, gesturing to the door at all the paraphernalia. “It's my dads. He gets all sorts of crap for noise as it is. I don't want to get him in trouble further. He.. he can't help it though. He yells in his sleep- night terrors...”

“Wait. Wait wait wait- is your dad the security guard???” I shout whispered, trying to place a resemblance with nothing coming to mind.

“Yeah.” Tim said sheepishly, laying on the bed. “And- I'm not trying to be sneaky I just come here every summer and girls act like I'm the only guy around. Sweet buncha gals, but- I like _you_. And I don't want anyone getting hurt or making drama.” He patted the side and I sat down. “Come here” he said, pulling me close to spoon me. “I haven't cuddled in forever”.

You know how some guys complain about their arm falling asleep or not knowing where to put it when spooning? There was none of that. Tim was a natural spooner. He stroked my hands, straightened out my skirt when it flipped up, and covered my bare arms when I shivered in the AC.

“You want to watch something?” He asked. I was afraid he was going to suggest one of the war movies, but he had leaned back and pulled a DVD of "Marie Antoinette" out of a knapsack.

I sat bolt upright and squealed “Are you serious? I love that movie!”, mentally awarding him points for taste as he set it up in the laptop on the desk. I revoked them when he shushed me. 

“Watched it for the soundtrack but I kinda love it too now.” He grinned.

We lay on our stomachs and watched as Kirsten Dunst grew from child to Queen, our feet bobbing in time with the various songs. Every now and then I'd look over and he would be staring at me, and smiling.

“What?” I giggled.

“Nothing. I was just thinking how you remind me of the Kings mistress.” He said, turning back to the movie.

“Uh.. why?”

“Oh you know. All these other ladies were so fake- sucking up to Marie, dressing like she did, following her around like sheep. But Du Berry did her own thing. She wore what she liked. She had crazy pets. She was sexy as hell. She was a _tree_ , like you. But like- a Redwood among pines.”

It was the weirdest 'You're not like other girls' but it worked. I leaned back on my side to stare at him. The look I gave him was more ' _are you for real_?' but he accepted it as an invitation. He slid towards me for a kiss.

And what a kiss. His lips were so soft, he was so gentle. After a while, his hands started exploring, sliding up and down my back, not quite tugging clothes off but inching waistbands and straps down, leaving skin available for kisses in small but significant increments. The room darkened in the twilight and he reached over to turn on a small lamp. "Now I can see you." He said, smiling, and resumed with the kissing. 

He removed his sweater, then his shirt, never taking his eyes off me. He stopped me as I reached to undo his pants. “I.. just want to feel you against me for a second.” He breathed into my ear while doing just that... holding me to his chest as he kissed my jaw, my earlobe, then back to my lips. 

Tim laid me down and pressed me to the bed slightly with one hand, as he pulled his pants off and then freed me of my tank top and bra. He kissed his way down... my neck, my collarbone, and then down and down and down. He rubbed his face against my belly, no longer a source of embarrassment, then gently eased my skirt up, kissing my inner thighs... He didn't remove any other items of clothing but they weren't stopping him from enjoying himself. I was melting.  

He lay back on the bed so I climbed on top, grinding into him. _I know you want this too, its kinda hard to hide that thing_ I thought. He pushed my hair back from my face, and traced my lips with his thumb, looking deep into my eyes. I bent to bite and kiss his neck, raking my fingers gently down his chest, and then back to stroke his thighs, causing him to moan, and worked my way back up.. More long, delicious kisses and sweet nothings.

“ _I love your mouth._

_God you look beautiful._

_You are an amazing girl, Miranda”_

_Shibby, dude. But when are we gonna fuck_?

I laid next to him, hoping he'd get on top of me. But he got up and turned off the movie. He put music on instead... it was a band from my hometown.

' _I've been waiting... I've been waiting for this moment all my life.. but its not quite right..._ '

“Maybe we shouldn't do this. I .. I don't know. Don't girls feel taken advantage of when sex happens too fast?” He grabbed me into an embrace and pulled my hand up to kiss my fingers. “Not that I don't want to”.

“I'm not a baby, Tim. I won't feel _taken advantage_ of. And I kinda like you too but.. I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with. Maybe we can just sleep and try again tomorrow... ” The thought of sleeping in his arms, cuddling like he did, sounded almost as good as sex. But he interrupted me.

“Yeah... No. Dad wouldn't like if I had a guest.”

“Oh. Okay then.” I mean, I didn't really know the guy but that didn't stop me from feeling crushing rejection. I turned my head so he wouldn't see how upset I was, and started to look for my top but he grabbed my face and kissed me again, deeply.

“We can try again though.” He said, brushing my hair out of my face. “You might just be what I need to get over... her.” He pulled me down and sat on the edge of bed, with me in his lap. Fingers tips brushed down my shoulders, the nape of my neck, down my back...

 _Who told you_? I wondered. _Who told you about my_ spots? I'd never been comfortable in my skin. Or being touched. Sex was often something I wanted to get over with and I hated that. With Jamie, I had to teach him- over the course of several months- where to touch, where to kiss. What got me going. And he learned, and it got better. But Tim just seemed to _know_. The exact coordinates- the lightest pressure on my back, the gentle rubbing on my shoulders, the area on my neck that if you kissed, you could pretty much ask me anything and I'd say yes... 

Suddenly there was a deafening silence.. We realized the music in the disco had stopped. Tim sprang up, retrieving his clothes and handing me my shoes.

“K. You gotta go. Dad'll be up in a minute. Just.. don't let anyone see you.” He kissed me gently on the forehead and glanced out the door before releasing me. “Bye!”

In the dim light of the hallway, all the heat that had been generated was extinguished, a match blown out with the slightest of sighs. I rode home in the cold, wondering what I needed to do differently next time. 


	4. Melatonin (Saturday and Sunday) & Table Scraps (Monday)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much for the light show...

 

_That Weekend..._

Tim texted a lot, but made no plans to get together. He just kept talking about _my mouth_ , how good a _kisser_ I was. How _sexy_ I was. How he couldn't stop thinking about me.

 _Fucking same,_ _dude_... I thought. _What are you gonna do about it_?

But I stayed away. If he wanted to ask me out, he would ask me out. And he didn't.

Reminding myself over and over that Leos are poison for a Pisces like me, I ran a few championships and dozens of races on Saturday, but was distracted. I listened to a LOT of that one band. Too much probably. Silvershade started to get irritated with me. I kept riding to the Fort Pinta road, then changing my mind and turning left at the Abbey, forcing Silver to gallop down to the rocks. The thinking was that I could jump into the waters near the river, and try to cleanse myself of this unholy obsession. But Silver realized he could stop short of the waters edge and throw me off instead. It almost worked, but once we got back on the road my thoughts would turn back to Tim.

 _Why hasn't he asked_?

I spent Sunday indoors. Everyone else kept texting, asking if I could do this or that, but I ignored them. 

Then I did something _really_ stupid. I looked him up on Facebook.

He was private, of course.  But in his profile pic, he looked like he was laying in bed with someone, holding his phone up for a selfie with a sleeping person next to him. Whoever it was was cropped out.

Okay... I lifted my finger away from the friend request button. 

However - you can only resist hitting send for so long. It's especially hard when its Sunday night and it's 3am and you really just wanted to be kissed.

Or, you know, remembered.

 

 _Table Scraps (_ _Monday)_

He hadn't added me yet.

When I rode by the beach, I could see him laughing and talking with the girls surrounded the booth. One was folding towels, one was blowing up beach balls.

 _Ok then_.

The girl working at the cafe seemed to understand. She handed me a Chai latte, a new addition to her menu, and waved away my cash. “Summers almost over.” She sighed. “ _Thank gawd"_. It wasn't aimed at me, I knew. She was looking forward to cooler weather. Better for the coffee business. And tips. I put more shillings than necessary into her tip cup.

Not daring to sit at the cafe tables, I wandered instead to the umbrellas closer to the water, where I didn't have to hear the girls who were laughing and dancing, singing Raptor songs (well-  _song_ ) loudly and off key. Silvershade made a small noise behind me and I realized we weren't alone. Tim handed Silver an apple and scritched my head like I was a puppy or something.

“Hey lady! Its been badgers here, this weekend was absolutely mad!” I shrugged, and took a sip of my chai. “But- can you meet me at the boulder at 7?” He said, jogging backwards toward his post. I turned and gave him a sarcastic thumbs up and he finger-gunned in response.

In spite of myself, I went. 

When he got there, close to an hour late, he pulled out his phone and put music on. Same band. I knew every song by heart by now. I grabbed it and scrolled through the playlist as he dug through his knapsack and pulled out food.

“Have you heard this one?” I asked. Playing the song that so painfully expressed the torment I was feeling.

 _The radio just made it clear_  
_That the end is coming near_  
_A shadow lets me know that I'm still here_

I hated myself. I wasn't normally a desperate person.... I tried to rationalize. Maybe its my period. Maybe I'm just homesick. Maybe I just miss Jamie. Maybe its retrograde. But no. It was him. I looked up at him and cursed his shyness and his kisses and his ability to be detached- something I was trying so hard to fake.  He looked up at me and frowned with concern. 

“Yeah. Its so sad though- we should play something happy!”

“Why?”

“Cause now that we're together we can do this..” He pulled me in for a kiss. I had to admit, that made me pretty happy. “Come on, dig in. I made you dinner.”

“Really? Cause this looks like the chicken dinner from the restaurant at the disco?” I teased.

“I slave over a hot stove and _this_ is how you repay me?” He chuckled, “Ingrate. I'm gonna make a heckavu husband someday, you'll see.” He popped a buttermilk biscuit in my mouth and I couldn't help but laugh.

We ate, and chatted, and cleaned up. He leaned against the larger rock behind us and pulled me to him. For a while we watched the lanterns, beautiful and glowing against the darkening sky.

“What am I going to do with you?” He whispered, pulling my hair behind my ear and kissing my cheek. I shook my head.

“Why do you have to do anything with me? This is cool. What we have.” I pulled his arms tighter around me. “People always make things so complicated. If you like someone, say so. If you don't, go find it elsewhere. I never understood why people need to play games.” I said, leaning back to kiss his chin. “It ain't that deep. I like you and would like to see you. When you can.”

“Fair enough. I like you too. I might even heart you. It's just.. its gonna be crazy here the next couple days.”

“Well yeah, its summer. You run a smoothie booth. I knew that.” I squeezed his knee. Wasn't I the actress, suddenly. _If only there was an Oscar for pretending to be unpressed_... 

“Yeah.. “ He turned me around and kissed me, laying me down on some towels. “You're not wearing your very convenient little skirt.” He smirked, rubbing my hips through denim.

“If you want to hang out tonight, I can go grab it” I said, placing a hand on his crotch.

“Oh- I can't tonight..” He coughed. I removed my hand.

“Why's that?”

“Inventory night. Sorry hon.” He kissed me, deeply. For a moment I was satisfied. “I might be free tomorrow though?”

“Should I meet you at the trailer?” I breathed, leaning back as he unbuttoned my blouse and kissed my neck.

“Na. Can't." He reached into my shirt, copping a squeeze and reaching around to unlatch my bra. “Dads off tonight, he'll be home.”

_How someone could casually mention a parent while kissing is beyond me._

From the beach below we heard girls whooping and laughing. I scrambled to button my shirt and clasp my bra, thought I was pretty certain we weren't visible from up here. He was adjusting his fly. “We should probably go.”

“Are your admirers coming for us with torches and pitchforks?”

“You know it” He laughed, kissing my nose. He looked into my eyes, brushing my hair away. “But I would never let anyone hurt you.”

He didn't help me off the rock this time and I slipped a little on weakened knees.

“I'm in one of the rooms at Moorland, the first one on the left, just off the paddock. I'll be in by nine.” I called after him. He waved, but didn't turn around.

 


	5. Sci Fi Lullaby (Tuesday / Wednesday)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (We all knew it was coming I just didn't think it would be like this)

Tuesday night. Nine o'clock came and went, just as boring as any other night in the stables. Most of the hands went to bed by then and woke at dawn. It was a habit I could never get used to. But luckily no one cared if you slept in, as long as chores were done.

By ten the stables were still and quiet. He wouldn't come this late, I thought, considering changing into pyjamas. By 11:30 I was in my cupcake flannels and sleep shirt, and falling asleep with the Professional on tv. Normally this kind of movie was cathartic when I was stressed or impatient. Unfortunately watching Leon shoot people with abandon offered little comfort this evening.

At 12:34 there was a soft tapping. Waking out of some weird fever dream, I held my breath and listened – and sure enough there was someone at the door.

“Dude,” I croaked, rubbing my eyes and hating how sleepy and un-sexy I sounded and felt. “Its midnight, what the hell?” He scooped me up in a hug and made his way to the bed, half pulling me. It was pitch black in the room, and I made a mental note to wonder how he was so familiar with the bunks there but forgot it when he started untying my pyjama pants.

I mean, he could have just pulled them down, but he made a big deal of slowly undoing them, stripping me down to my underpants, and laying me on the bed.

“Why are you so late?” I asked, turning on the night light on the side. He kissed me and leaned to turn the light off. 

“Shhh, I'm here now.”

“OK but...” Suddenly Tim wasn't as gentle. He wasn't rough- just rushed. All shyness and awkwardness and _sweetness_ was gone. He seemed hurried, like I was something he was eager to be done with.

One would think the last week was sufficient foreplay but no. There was none of the tenderness that made me ache for this moment. Frankly, it was awful. He kept getting soft, he wouldn't make eye contact. The best thing I could say about it was it was over pretty quickly. Afterwards he asked if it was ok.

“I mean- yeah. Sure. It's always weird the first time huh?”

“You're not a …?”

“OMG, _no_. It's not MY first time I just mean- first time with a new person, you know? It was fine.” I tried to cuddle against him but he stood up and went to the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him. I heard the spray of the shower... He didn't seem so concerned about being quiet _here_. 

Before I'd even found my clothes, he was out and dressed. “Gotta head back. Have a long day tomorrow.” He gave me a dry little peck on the cheek.

“Wait a sec and I'll give you a ride over to the Fort” I yawned, looking for my jeans.

He was already at the door. “You are barely awake”, he snorted, almost coldly. “You just get back in your widdle bed and get some shut eye. It's been shibby, yeah?” The door shut behind him and I sat in my dark room, wondering if this had been part of the fever dream.

“Yeah. Real fucking shibby.”

 

* * *

 

I was slow to get up Wednesday morning. I had a sinking feeling, for some reason.

Silvershade, who always seems to know when I'm upset, nuzzled my hair while I groomed him and wasn't his usual bouncy self when we set out. Maybe he knew how sore I was... I bought him a bundle of carrots and thanked him for being merciful.

I didn't know what I was expecting when I rode over the bridge – but the empty space where the Smoothie booth had been was not it. The dance floor, the bucket of fruit, the pink towels, the beach balls, Tim. All gone.

 _Don't be that girl. Don't ask his dad. Don't do this to yourself_.

Out of curiosity I circled around towards the disco. There were a half dozen girls around the stone faced Security Guard, all asking about Tim. He was either playing dumb or covering for his son. I couldn't bear to listen. Silvershade lead me over to James, instead. There was a single girl there. I could hear James sputtering.

“Don't tell me you actually _liked_ those smoothies? You must be nuts, woman! Anyway, Tim'll be back next summer, he went back to school is all. He's only out here for a week at a time. Some people can't handle _real_ jobs” He added, rolling his eyes. The girl walked away looking distraught. James noticed me and waved. “Oh hey, he left something for you! But I wasn't sure if you'd be by so I had someone take it down to Moorland and... What's wrong Miranda? You look sad.” Suddenly James, for all his youthful callousness, seemed concerned. “You didn't _like_ that weirdo did you?” He shook his head and threw up his hands. “Every year. _Every. Year._ There's two or three or four of you guys, and he starts acting like he's this _poor_ _lost_ _puppy_ , and he's sneaking you guys up to his room and asking me to cover for him and...” He looked up, and I wasn't able to hold the tears back. 

There _was the James I knew._..

“I'm sorry Miranda.” He patted my foot “If it makes you feel better, he never left anyone else a present. Least not with me. Tell you what- next year, we'll spit in his fruit, k?”

"Thanks James." I wiped my eyes with the back of my glove. 

"Anytime, kid." He grinned. "Hey couldja do me a favor...?"

 

* * *

 

Anyway, he finally added me on Facebook.

(Tim, I mean. James added me a long time ago.)

Pics of Tim and his girlfriend on his birthday. Selfies with the girlfriend in front of a Lake, in their new apartment. In bed, with her cuddled in the crook of his arm. Him posting song lyrics on her page. Her responding with some raunchy song lyrics of her own. His welcome home party. And so on....

Yesterday I noticed I had a new message but I haven't been able to open it. I think I suffered enough for one summer, don't you?

 

**Author's Note:**

> Song titles are from the band Silversun Pickups.  
> Miranda is one of my Star Stable characters.


End file.
